Strange happenings with my bike

[Tigadee]

Tell me, do the ignition lights go out when it's fucking around? Or the head light for that matter?

If not, I would start by looking at the kill switch circuit. If they do blink, look at the ignition switch circuit.

No, the lights stay steady when it cuts out or decides randomly not to start. (When I do try to start though, the lights do dim but not blink.)

OK, I'll take a close look at the kill switch...

Does it make a difference if I said my front brake light is not working? Rear still works fine...

[unstuck]

No, the lights stay steady when it cuts out or decides randomly not to start. (When I do try to start though, the lights do dim but not blink.)

OK, I'll take a close look at the kill switch...

Does it make a difference if I said my front brake light is not working? Rear still works fine...

You have brake lights on the front, WTF.

[bogan]

No, the lights stay steady when it cuts out or decides randomly not to start. (When I do try to start though, the lights do dim but not blink.)

OK, I'll take a close look at the kill switch...

Does it make a difference if I said my front brake light is not working? Rear still works fine...

Depends on what the wiring diagram looks like, some use common ground for brake light switches, others use isolated ground or switched positive or all manner of things.

[Tigadee]

I had a look at the wiring diagram and I have no clue what I'm looking at...

You have brake lights on the front, WTF.

Shush!

[unstuck]

I had a look at the wiring diagram and I have no clue what I'm looking at...



Shush!

Looks pretty straight forward, you want to be finding the wires for your kill switch circuit and tracing them around, making sure there are no breaks, or soldered wires that are not connecting. A bit of detective work.

[Tigadee]

Looks pretty straight forward, you want to be finding the wires for your kill switch circuit and tracing them around, making sure there are no breaks, or soldered wires that are not connecting. A bit of detective work.

Okay, I'll do my best!

[Theantidote]

A friend of mine who lives in a different state was having problems with his scooter-it would start and run fine in the morning when it was cold but after work when it had been sitting in the sun all day it wouldn't start.

The shop he took it to was a "Harley" shop, they were the only shop he could find that knew what they were doing. (funny side story-the guy that ran the shop didn't want anyone to see him riding a scooter so to get it warmed up he had his helper ride it around the building 30 or 40 times)

Anyway, once they got it warmed up it wouldn't run or start. So he pulled the CDI out and put it in the freezer for 20 or 30 minutes, and when he hooked it back up, started and ran fine. So new CDI and everything works great! The CDI would only work when it was cold. Once it got hot from running or sitting in the sun, it wouldn't work again until it cooled down.


Pete

Had found this and posted it related to my dramas but might be worth having a think about...i think my probs maybe electricamal also...
Good luck man...those wiring diagrams are about as str8 4rd as gobble-d-gook...to me anyhows...

[nzspokes]

Have you had trouble starting again after we cleaned the battery terminals? If yes then its a deeper electrical issue. We did clean the main earth to the motor.

If no then I still suspect fuel delivery issue. Would be time to check the petcock valve to see if its gummed up.

[Drew]

It's uncommon for a cdi to have an intermittent fault. Particularly a heat related one. Coils will often fuck out when they get hot only.

But they will shut it down and stay that way till they cool down.

A fault as described is hard to nail down. But not impossible. Chuck a multimeter on the output from the kill switch. (The one that is only live with the ignition and kill switch on). Turn the bars from side to side, and wiggle the loom about. That'll tell you if it's simply a broken wire at the headstock.

Pull the headlight glass out and trace the kill switch wires into there repeat.

Be a bit rough with the wires, they can take it.

[Theantidote]

It's uncommon for a cdi to have an intermittent fault. Particularly a heat related one. Coils will often fuck out when they get hot only.

But they will shut it down and stay that way till they cool down.

A fault as described is hard to nail down. But not impossible. Chuck a multimeter on the output from the kill switch. (The one that is only live with the ignition and kill switch on). Turn the bars from side to side, and wiggle the loom about. That'll tell you if it's simply a broken wire at the headstock.

Pull the headlight glass out and trace the kill switch wires into there repeat.

Be a bit rough with the wires, they can take it.

Me thinks that sounz like really good advice and a great starting point for all yamaha owners like myself...

[nzspokes]

It's uncommon for a cdi to have an intermittent fault. Particularly a heat related one. Coils will often fuck out when they get hot only.

But they will shut it down and stay that way till they cool down.

A fault as described is hard to nail down. But not impossible. Chuck a multimeter on the output from the kill switch. (The one that is only live with the ignition and kill switch on). Turn the bars from side to side, and wiggle the loom about. That'll tell you if it's simply a broken wire at the headstock.

Pull the headlight glass out and trace the kill switch wires into there repeat.

Be a bit rough with the wires, they can take it.

One part of the fault stands out for me which is he rode the bike here and back with no faults. But as soon as its on the motorway it cuts out. Its further to my place than it is to the motorway from his house. I think the key point here is the higher speed and fuel use.

I could be wrong but im sticking with it. I would like to run a line off the tank and see how long it takes to fill a cup of petrol.

Bad starting could well have been the rusty battery connections. 2 faults at once.

[unstuck]

Sounds more like electrical to me than fuel, but you have had the benefit of actually seeing it first hand. Have you got the motorcycle repair course on your computer tiger??

http://www.dansmc.com/mc_repaircourse.htm

[bogan]

It's uncommon for a cdi to have an intermittent fault. Particularly a heat related one. Coils will often fuck out when they get hot only.

But they will shut it down and stay that way till they cool down.

A fault as described is hard to nail down. But not impossible. Chuck a multimeter on the output from the kill switch. (The one that is only live with the ignition and kill switch on). Turn the bars from side to side, and wiggle the loom about. That'll tell you if it's simply a broken wire at the headstock.

Pull the headlight glass out and trace the kill switch wires into there repeat.

Be a bit rough with the wires, they can take it.

Kill switch only wouldn't cause the lights to dim when he tries to start it though.

There is a small chance that its got a bung connector/wire, restricting current so the fuses don't blow, and an intermittent short somewhere (which would be what caused the connector to be bung). So sometimes it can only drive so much electrical load (headlights) that when you try and do something else (start it) the ability to supply power to the load is exceeded and the lights dim.

I'd be trying to get it to do the lights dimming on startup, then put a multimeter on things to figure out why it isn't turning over. Probably start with the solenoid as its easy to expose.

[Tigadee]

Well, this evening I had to ride it home. I couldn't start it again, it just sat there as if the kill switch was on. I then tried pressing and releasing the starter button repeatedly and it turned over. Smooth ride all the way home, no hiccups.

Just took apart the starter block. Wires and contacts look really good, especially for this age. Gave a squirt of CRC and put it all back together. Started fine, no hesitation.

I'll risk it and take it to work tomorrow and see if the starter may have been the main issue... *pray*

[nzspokes]

Kill switch only wouldn't cause the lights to dim when he tries to start it though.

There is a small chance that its got a bung connector/wire, restricting current so the fuses don't blow, and an intermittent short somewhere (which would be what caused the connector to be bung). So sometimes it can only drive so much electrical load (headlights) that when you try and do something else (start it) the ability to supply power to the load is exceeded and the lights dim.

I'd be trying to get it to do the lights dimming on startup, then put a multimeter on things to figure out why it isn't turning over. Probably start with the solenoid as its easy to expose.

The headlight turns off on start up on it.